Iris

Description

Iris

The Iris belongs to a genus of over one hundred species of hardy herbaceous plants with creeping or tuberous root-stocks. The Iris is found naturally all over the Temperate Zone, in America from Canada to California, and in Europe from Russia to sunny Spain, while the gorgeous Iris Kaempferi and Iris tectorum come to us from Japan; others are natives of Siberia, and quite a few are from China.

The Iris delights in a deep rich clayey soil preferably alongside the bed of a stream or canal or on the banks of a pool or lake where the moisture rises within two feet of the surface, If these conditions are not available, a bed should be prepared by trenching the soil two feet deep and mixing the soil freely with old decomposed manure.

Plant the bulbs or roots so that about one inch of soil covers the crown, and give them water copiously during the growing season.

Iris Germanica, Iris florentina, Iris susiana, and the dwarf Iris pumila, besides many others, are well worthy of prominent positions in our gardens and pleasure-grounds.

Propagate by division of the roots or bulbs in early Spring, or by sowing the seeds in light sandy soil in either a cold frame or a sheltered border as soon as the seeds are ripe. Cover the seeds a quarter of an inch deep.